Approved by Alexwolf
Emboar
Type:
Stats: 110/123/65/100/65/65
Abilties:
Blaze - "When HP is below 1/3rd its maximum, power of Fire-type moves is increased by 50%."
Reckless (Hidden Ability) - "The power of moves that have recoil damage is increased by 20%."
Notable Moves (STAB in bold, status in italics):
Emboar has never seen usage in singles outside of RU, but with the release of Reckless Emboar in January 2015, Emboar can finally see light as a powerful wallbreaker in OU. Emboar has a near-perfect movepool to utilize Reckless with as well as a nice 110 base HP stat to take recoil more easily than others. Emboar also has a fairly unique defensive typing, only shared with Infernape for OU viable mons, making it immune to burn and neutral to all forms of hazard damage. These traits make it a great Choice Band user in OU, though other sets may prove to be worthwhile.
Potential Movesets:
Choice Scarf Attacker
Emboar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe or 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Jolly/Naive Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Superpower
- Head Smash / Grass Knot
Choice Scarf Emboar outspeeds base 121s (Mega Pidgeot/Tornadus-T) and below with full investment, making in a prime candidate for a Choice Scarf user in OU. With Reckless, it hits fairly hard while getting opportunities to attack thanks to its excellent speed tier. This is Emboar's easiest and generally most effective set in OU, though it functions quite differently from the sets below.
216 EVs outspeed Starmie, Azelf and Raikou while giving it a bit more HP to take recoil or hits.
Choice Band Wallbreaker
Emboar @ Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 232 Spe
Jolly/Naive Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Superpower / Hammer Arm
- Head Smash / Grass Knot
Emboar's power is terrifying when equipped with a Choice Band and its hidden ability. It tears apart nearly all physical and special walls in OU with the right prediction and can't be burned. With the given Nature and EVs, Emboar outspeeds Adamant Bisharp, defensive variants of Mew, Celebi and Jirachi, non-Scarf Magnezone, non-Scarf Gothitelle, standard Tentacruel and standard Rotom-W, alllowing it to outpace most Pokemon on stall and bulky offense. It has enough bulk and useful resistances to find opportunities to nuke against offensive teams as well. Flare Blitz and Wild Charge are necessary to have, along with Fighting STAB (Superpower is recommended for the immediate power). Head Smash offers powerful coverage that allows it to get some OHKOs on super-effective targets and hits Pokemon that resist its STAB combination (like Altaria) hard while Grass Knot lures in some bulky Ground and Water types like Hippowdown, Quagsire, Rhyperior and Swampert.
Life Orb Mixed Attacker (Credit to Jaroda)
Emboar @ Life Orb
Reckless
Naive 252 Atk / 24 SpA / 232 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Superpower/Hammer Arm
- Sucker Punch
- Grass Knot/Wild Charge
Emboar doesn't seem to have many other viable sets, but Expert Belt, Assault Vest and defensive sets may be worth looking into. Choice Scarf will likely be its defining set in OU.
Checks and Counters:
Counters for Band Emboar are slim in number if there are any. Landorus-T is currently the most commonly used of switch-ins to it but even defensive variants are 2HKOed after Stealth Rock (and Emboar actually outspeeds defensive Lando-T). Mega Slowbro fails to take over 50% for anything that Emboar can throw at it, but after Stealth Rock or Spikes damage, it has a high chance of being 2HKOed by Choice Band Wild Charge. Mega Altaria is a hard check, particularly with defense investment, but Band Head Smash is a clean 2HKO for any set and it must be Mega Evolved to check it well. Quagsire is a decent switch-in, but Superpower 2HKOs and Unaware backfires against it in this case. Offensively, it can easily be revenge killed by Talonflame and most other faster Pokemon with super-effective coverage.
Scarf Emboar has less offensive checks, but it gains many defensive counters. Landorus-T and Rotom-W are the biggest and most common threats against it. Offensively, it's checked by Scarf Heatran, Mega Manectric, Mega Aerodactyl, Talonflame, Azumarill and Mega Alakazam among others, while it is checked or countered by Slowbro, Quagsire, Mega Altaria and Hippowdon defensively.
Teammates:
Emboar greatly appreciates Stealth Rock support like most Pokemon, and Landorus-T, Mamoswine, Tyranitar, Jirachi, Ferrothorn and Clefable are fairly reliable setters. Checks to common fast Pokemon like Scarf Landorus-T, Greninja, Talonflame and Keldeo are generally helpful as well as Aqua Jet users like Azumarill and Crawdaunt. Rain teams also will give Emboar problems, so Ferrothorn, Mega Alakazam and Mega Venusaur are great partners in this respect.
Will Emboar have a place in OU? Discuss!
Emboar
Type:
Stats: 110/123/65/100/65/65
Abilties:
Blaze - "When HP is below 1/3rd its maximum, power of Fire-type moves is increased by 50%."
Reckless (Hidden Ability) - "The power of moves that have recoil damage is increased by 20%."
Notable Moves (STAB in bold, status in italics):
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Superpower
- Hammer Arm
- Low Kick
- Sucker Punch
- Head Smash
- Flame Charge
- Fire Blast
- Flamethrower
- Scald
- Focus Blast
- Power-Up Punch
- Grass Knot
- Will-O-Wisp
- Bulk Up
- Taunt
- Earthquake
Emboar has never seen usage in singles outside of RU, but with the release of Reckless Emboar in January 2015, Emboar can finally see light as a powerful wallbreaker in OU. Emboar has a near-perfect movepool to utilize Reckless with as well as a nice 110 base HP stat to take recoil more easily than others. Emboar also has a fairly unique defensive typing, only shared with Infernape for OU viable mons, making it immune to burn and neutral to all forms of hazard damage. These traits make it a great Choice Band user in OU, though other sets may prove to be worthwhile.
Potential Movesets:
Choice Scarf Attacker
Emboar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe or 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Jolly/Naive Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Superpower
- Head Smash / Grass Knot
Choice Scarf Emboar outspeeds base 121s (Mega Pidgeot/Tornadus-T) and below with full investment, making in a prime candidate for a Choice Scarf user in OU. With Reckless, it hits fairly hard while getting opportunities to attack thanks to its excellent speed tier. This is Emboar's easiest and generally most effective set in OU, though it functions quite differently from the sets below.
216 EVs outspeed Starmie, Azelf and Raikou while giving it a bit more HP to take recoil or hits.
Choice Band Wallbreaker
Emboar @ Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 232 Spe
Jolly/Naive Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Superpower / Hammer Arm
- Head Smash / Grass Knot
Emboar's power is terrifying when equipped with a Choice Band and its hidden ability. It tears apart nearly all physical and special walls in OU with the right prediction and can't be burned. With the given Nature and EVs, Emboar outspeeds Adamant Bisharp, defensive variants of Mew, Celebi and Jirachi, non-Scarf Magnezone, non-Scarf Gothitelle, standard Tentacruel and standard Rotom-W, alllowing it to outpace most Pokemon on stall and bulky offense. It has enough bulk and useful resistances to find opportunities to nuke against offensive teams as well. Flare Blitz and Wild Charge are necessary to have, along with Fighting STAB (Superpower is recommended for the immediate power). Head Smash offers powerful coverage that allows it to get some OHKOs on super-effective targets and hits Pokemon that resist its STAB combination (like Altaria) hard while Grass Knot lures in some bulky Ground and Water types like Hippowdown, Quagsire, Rhyperior and Swampert.
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 217-256 (51.6 - 60.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Emboar Superpower vs. 252 HP / 212+ Def Rotom-W: 201-237 (66.1 - 77.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Sableye: 210-247 (69 - 81.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Thick Fat Mega Venusaur: 216-254 (59.3 - 69.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 228 HP / 0 Def Azumarill: 408-482 (102.5 - 121.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 230-272 (58.3 - 69%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Slowbro: 160-190 (40.6 - 48.2%) -- 64.5% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latios: 204-240 (67.5 - 79.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Emboar Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latios: 304-358 (100.6 - 118.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latias: 185-218 (61.4 - 72.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Emboar Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latias: 274-324 (91 - 107.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable: 297-351 (75.3 - 89%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Altaria: 156-184 (44 - 51.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Head Smash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Altaria: 260-307 (73.4 - 86.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 261-307 (61.7 - 72.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Head Smash vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 432-510 (102.1 - 120.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0- SpA Emboar Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Hippowdon: 204-240 (48.5 - 57.1%) -- 92.6% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
24 SpA Emboar Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Hippowdon: 230-272 (54.7 - 64.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
0- SpA Emboar Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Quagsire: 292-348 (74.1 - 88.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
24 SpA Emboar Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Quagsire: 336-396 (85.2 - 100.5%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Emboar Superpower vs. 252 HP / 212+ Def Rotom-W: 201-237 (66.1 - 77.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Sableye: 210-247 (69 - 81.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Thick Fat Mega Venusaur: 216-254 (59.3 - 69.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 228 HP / 0 Def Azumarill: 408-482 (102.5 - 121.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 230-272 (58.3 - 69%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Slowbro: 160-190 (40.6 - 48.2%) -- 64.5% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latios: 204-240 (67.5 - 79.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Emboar Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latios: 304-358 (100.6 - 118.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latias: 185-218 (61.4 - 72.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Emboar Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latias: 274-324 (91 - 107.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable: 297-351 (75.3 - 89%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Altaria: 156-184 (44 - 51.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Head Smash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mega Altaria: 260-307 (73.4 - 86.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 261-307 (61.7 - 72.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Reckless Emboar Head Smash vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 432-510 (102.1 - 120.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0- SpA Emboar Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Hippowdon: 204-240 (48.5 - 57.1%) -- 92.6% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
24 SpA Emboar Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Hippowdon: 230-272 (54.7 - 64.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
0- SpA Emboar Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Quagsire: 292-348 (74.1 - 88.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
24 SpA Emboar Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Quagsire: 336-396 (85.2 - 100.5%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
Life Orb Mixed Attacker (Credit to Jaroda)
Emboar @ Life Orb
Reckless
Naive 252 Atk / 24 SpA / 232 Spe
- Flare Blitz
- Superpower/Hammer Arm
- Sucker Punch
- Grass Knot/Wild Charge
Other Options:Jaroda said:This set actually makes Emboar dangerous and not nearly as self destructive when only 1/2 of your moves will have recoil. Looking at the tier list you need Wild Charge for less than you think. Neutral Flare Blitz is actually equal in power as a super effective Wild Charge. Many of the Water types are either faster and you shouldn't face anyway, Wild Charge doesn't OHKO, or one of your other moves are better for it anyway. Specially defensive Politoed has a 50% chance to die from Superpower after SR for example, and both it and Grass Knot are 2HKO on Slowbro with SR and Leftovers. What you do need Wild Charge for is Suicune, Azumarill, Alomomola, and Tentacruel. Meanwhile Grass Knot now lets you take on Hippowdon, Rhyperior, M-Slowbro, Quagsire, Swampert, Seismetoad, and Gastrodon and many of the Water types Wild Charge was for but without recoil damage. This is potentially his best set the more I think about it, may be worth adding more SpA for certain KOs.
]32 SpA Life Orb Emboar Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Slowbro: 187-221 (47.4 - 56%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
32 SpA Life Orb Emboar Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Hippowdon: 302-356 (71.9 - 84.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Life Orb Emboar Sucker Punch vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latios: 265-312 (87.7 - 103.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Life Orb Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 244 HP / 0 Def Sylveon: 419-493 (106.8 - 125.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Conkeldurr: 305-360 (86.8 - 102.5%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Life Orb Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 248 HP / 136+ Def Mandibuzz: 226-266 (53.4 - 62.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
32 SpA Life Orb Emboar Grass Knot (60 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Gastrodon: 276-328 (64.7 - 76.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Life Orb Emboar Superpower vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: 650-767 (92.3 - 108.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Emboar doesn't seem to have many other viable sets, but Expert Belt, Assault Vest and defensive sets may be worth looking into. Choice Scarf will likely be its defining set in OU.
Checks and Counters:
Counters for Band Emboar are slim in number if there are any. Landorus-T is currently the most commonly used of switch-ins to it but even defensive variants are 2HKOed after Stealth Rock (and Emboar actually outspeeds defensive Lando-T). Mega Slowbro fails to take over 50% for anything that Emboar can throw at it, but after Stealth Rock or Spikes damage, it has a high chance of being 2HKOed by Choice Band Wild Charge. Mega Altaria is a hard check, particularly with defense investment, but Band Head Smash is a clean 2HKO for any set and it must be Mega Evolved to check it well. Quagsire is a decent switch-in, but Superpower 2HKOs and Unaware backfires against it in this case. Offensively, it can easily be revenge killed by Talonflame and most other faster Pokemon with super-effective coverage.
Scarf Emboar has less offensive checks, but it gains many defensive counters. Landorus-T and Rotom-W are the biggest and most common threats against it. Offensively, it's checked by Scarf Heatran, Mega Manectric, Mega Aerodactyl, Talonflame, Azumarill and Mega Alakazam among others, while it is checked or countered by Slowbro, Quagsire, Mega Altaria and Hippowdon defensively.
Teammates:
Emboar greatly appreciates Stealth Rock support like most Pokemon, and Landorus-T, Mamoswine, Tyranitar, Jirachi, Ferrothorn and Clefable are fairly reliable setters. Checks to common fast Pokemon like Scarf Landorus-T, Greninja, Talonflame and Keldeo are generally helpful as well as Aqua Jet users like Azumarill and Crawdaunt. Rain teams also will give Emboar problems, so Ferrothorn, Mega Alakazam and Mega Venusaur are great partners in this respect.
Will Emboar have a place in OU? Discuss!
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